Weapons of the Laotian Civil War

The Laotian Civil War was a military conflict that pitted the guerrilla forces of the Marxist-oriented Pathet Lao against the Royal Lao Armed Forces (FAR) of the Kingdom of Laos (French: Royaume du Laos), led by the conservative Royal Lao Government.

Royal Lao Armed Forces Equipment

Revolvers

• M1917 revolver
• Smith & Wesson Model 10 Revolver

Pistols

M1911A1 pistol

• MAS-35-S pistol (7.65mm Longue)
• Luger P08 pistol^[1]
• Colt.45 M1911
• Smith & Wesson Model 39

Submachine guns

M3 submachine gun

• MAT-49
• Sterling submachine gun
• Owen submachine gun^[2]
• Sten submachine gun
• Carl Gustav M/45^[3]
• M1A1 Thompson
• M3A1 Grease Gun

Bolt-action rifles

M1903 Springfield

• MAS-36
• M1903 Springfield rifle
• Lee–Enfield

Carbines

• M1/M2 Carbine
• CAR-15 Assault carbine

Battle rifles

M16A1 was the standard Royal Lao Army (RLA) issue assault rifle

• M1 Garand semi-automatic rifle
• SKS semi-automatic rifle
• L1A1 SLR Assault rifle
• M16A1 Assault rifle^[4]
• AK-47
• Type 56
• AKM

Light machine guns

Browning Automatic Rifle

• FM 24/29
• M1918A2 BAR
• Bren

General-purpose machine guns

M60 machine gun

• M60^[5]
• RPD

Heavy machine guns

• Browning M2HB .50 Cal
• Browning M1919A4/Mk 21
• SG-43/SGM Goryunov

Anti-tank rockets

M72 LAW

• M72 LAW^[6]
• RPG-2
• RPG-7

Grenade launchers

M203 grenade launcher

• M79
• M203

Recoilless rifles

• M67
• M40

Mortars

Mle 27(31) Mortar

M29 Mortar

M30 Mortar

• Brandt mle 27/31 mortar 81 mm
• M29 Mortar 81 mm
• M2 4.2 inch mortar
• M30 107mm mortar

Howitzers

M101 105mm howitzer

M114 155 mm howitzer

M116 75mm howitzer

• M101A1 105mm towed field howitzer
• M114A1 155mm towed field howitzer
• M116 75mm towed field howitzer

Vehicles

M8 Greyhound armoured car

PT-76 light tank

• M24 Chaffee Light tank^[7]
• PT-76 amphibious light tank^[8][9]
• M8 Greyhound armoured car^[10]
• M3 Scout Car^[11]
• M-706 armoured car^[12][13]
• M3 Half-track^[14]
• M113 armored personnel carrier^[15]
• Willys 1/4 ton, (4x4) Jeep
• M151 1/4 ton (4x4) jeep
• Dodge WC-51/52 - 3/4 ton (4x4) utility truck
• Dodge M37 - 3/4 ton 1953 (4x4) utility truck
• GMC CCKW 2½ ton (6x6) truck
• Chevrolet G506 1½ ton (4x4) truck
• M35A1 2½ ton (6x6) cargo truck

Helicopters

• UH-1C Huey gunship^[16]
• UH-1D transport
• Mil Mi-4 transport^[17]
• Sikorsky H-19 transport
• Sikorsky H-34 transport^[18][19]
• Sud Aviation SA 3130 Alouette II light helicopter^[20][21]
• Sud Aviation SA 316B Alouette III light helicopter^[22]

Aircraft

A Royal Lao Air Force (RLAF) T-28D Nomad armed trainer taxies at Long Tieng airfield, September 1972

• Cessna T-41B/D Mescalero trainer^[23]
• North American T-6 Texan trainer/fighter-bomber^[24]
• North American T-28D Trojan trainer/fighter-bomber^{[25][26][27][28][29][30]}
• AC-47D Spooky gunship^[31][32]
• U-6 (L-20) STOL utility transport^[33]
• De Havilland DH.104 Dove short-haul airliner
• Aero Commander 500 utility transport
• Douglas C-47D Skytrain transport^[34][35]
• Lisunov Li-2 utility transport^[36]
• Fairchild C-123K Provider transport
• Morane-Saulnier MS 500 Criquet liaison aircraft^[37]
• U-17A/B light utility aircraft^[38]
• Cessna L-19/O-1D Bird Dog reconnaissance/observation light aircraft^[39][40]
• EC-47D SIGINT aircraft

River craft

• PBR, Patrol Boat River, (all fiberglass boats, propelled by twin water jets)
• LCM (8) Landing Craft

Pathet Lao forces Equipment

Pistols

• Tokarev TT-33
• Type 54: Chinese copy of TT-33
• Colt.45 M1911

Submachine guns

• MAT-49
• PPSh-41
• PPS-43
• K-50M

Carbines

• M1/M2 Carbine

Bolt-action rifles

Type 53 carbine

• Mosin–Nagant
• Type 53 Carbine
• MAS-36
• Arisaka
• US M1917
• Mauser Kar98k

Sniper rifles

• M/52

Battle rifles

Type 56 assault rifle

• SKS semi-automatic rifle
• Type 56 Carbine
• AK-47
• AKM
• Type 56
• Type 56-1
• M1 Garand semi-automatic rifle
• M16A1 Assault rifle

Light machine guns

Type 53 light machine gun

• Degtyaryov DP/DPM
• Type 53
• RPK
• ZB vz. 26
• FM 24/29
• M1918A2 BAR

General-purpose machine guns

• Degtyaryov RP-46
• RPD
• PK/PKM

Heavy machine guns

Type 53 machine gun

• SG-43/SGM Goryunov
• Type 53/57 Chinese variant of SG-43 and SGM
• DShK
• Type 54 Chinese variant of DShK
• KPV
• Browning M1919A4/Mk 21

Anti-tank rocket launchers

Type 69 RPG

• RPG-2
• RPG-7
• Type 56 RPG
• Type 69 RPG

Grenade launchers

• M79

Recoilless rifles

B-10 recoilless rifle

• B-10
• B-11
• Type 56
• Type 65 recoilless rifle

Mortars

• Brandt mle 27/31 mortar 81 mm
• Type 53 82mm
• PM-41 82mm
• Type 55 120mm

Howitzers

M-30 122 mm howitzer

• M-30 122 mm howitzer

Air defense guns

37 mm automatic air defence gun M1939 (61-K)

57 mm AZP S-60

• ZPU-4 14.5 mm Quadruple AA autocannon
• M1939 (61-K) 37 mm
• AZP S-60 57 mm

vehicles

BTR-152 APC

• PT-76 amphibious light tank^[41][42]
• Type 62 light tank
• T-54/55 main battle tank
• BRDM-2 Amphibious Armoured Scout Car
• BTR-40 armored personnel carrier^[43][44]
• BTR-152 armored personnel carrier^[45]
• BJ-212 (4x4) light Utility Vehicle^[46]
• GAZ-69A (4x4) light truck^[47]
• GAZ-63 (4x4) 2-ton truck

Helicopters

• Mil Mi-4 transport^[48]

Aircraft

• Polikarpov Po-2 utility biplane/trainer
• Antonov An-2 utility aircraft^[49]
• Lisunov Li-2 utility transport^[50]
• Ilyushin Il-12 transport

River craft

• River Sampan

See also

• Cambodian Civil War
• First Indochina War
• Laotian Civil War
• Vietnam War
• Weapons of the Vietnam War
• Weapons of the Cambodian Civil War

Notes

1. Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), p. 38.
2. Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), p. 36.
3. Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), p. 46.
4. Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), pp. 15-21.
5. Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), pp. 15-21.
6. Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), p. 43.
7. Grandolini, Armor of the Vietnam War (2): Asian Forces (1998), p. 12.
8. Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), p. 8.
9. Grandolini, Armor of the Vietnam War (2): Asian Forces (1998), p. 13.
10. Grandolini, Armor of the Vietnam War (2): Asian Forces (1998), p. 20.
11. Grandolini, Armor of the Vietnam War (2): Asian Forces (1998), p. 20.
12. Grandolini, Armor of the Vietnam War (2): Asian Forces (1998), p. 13.
13. Conboy and Morrison, Shadow War: The CIA's Secret War in Laos (1995), p. 290.
14. Grandolini, Armor of the Vietnam War (2): Asian Forces (1998), pp. 12; 20.
15. Christopher F. Foss, Jane’s Tank & Combat Vehicle recognition guide (2002), p. 215.
16. Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), p. 42.
17. Conboy and Morrison, Shadow War: The CIA's Secret War in Laos (1995), p. 102 (Notes 2, 9).
18. Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), p. 16.
19. Gunston, An Illustrated Guide to Military Helicopters (1981), p. 62.
20. Gunston, An Illustrated Guide to Military Helicopters (1981), p. 82.
21. "World Air Forces 1971 pg. 932". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
22. Gunston, An Illustrated Guide to Military Helicopters (1981), p. 82.
23. Krivinyi, World Military Aviation (1977), p. 148.
24. Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), p. 15.
25. Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), p. 16.
26. Nalty, Neufeld and Watson, An Illustrated Guide to the Air War over Vietnam (1982), pp. 114-115.
27. Taylor and Munson, Jane's Pocket Book of Major Combat Aircraft (1973), p. 179.
28. Krivinyi, World Military Aviation (1977), p. 178.
29. Fitzsimons, The Defenders: A Comprehensive Guide to Warplanes of the USA (1988), p. 137.
30. Andrade, Militair 1982 (1982), p. 146.
31. Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), p. 16.
32. Davis and Greer, Gunships, A Pictorial History of Spooky (1982), pp. 13-14.
33. Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), p. 15.
34. Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), p. 16.
35. Nalty, Neufeld and Watson, An Illustrated Guide to the Air War over Vietnam (1982), pp. 46-49.
36. Conboy and Morrison, Shadow War: The CIA's Secret War in Laos (1995), p. 102 (Notes 2, 9).
37. Conboy and Morrison, Shadow War: The CIA's Secret War in Laos (1995), p. 15.
38. Churchill, Hit My Smoke: Forward Air Controllers in Southeast Asia (1997), p. 121.
39. Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), p. 16.
40. Nalty, Neufeld and Watson, An Illustrated Guide to the Air War over Vietnam (1982), pp. 36-37.
41. Grandolini, Armor of the Vietnam War (2): Asian Forces (1998), p. 13.
42. SIPRI Arms Transfers Database
43. Christopher F. Foss, Jane’s Tank & Combat Vehicle recognition guide (2002), p. 295.
44. SIPRI Arms Transfers Database
45. Christopher F. Foss, Jane’s Tank & Combat Vehicle recognition guide (2002), pp. 386-387.
46. Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), p. 21.
47. Conboy and McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75 (1989), p. 21.
48. Conboy and Morrison, Shadow War: The CIA's Secret War in Laos (1995), p. 102 (Notes 2, 9).
49. Conboy and Morrison, Shadow War: The CIA's Secret War in Laos (1995), p. 102 (Notes 2, 9).
50. Conboy and Morrison, Shadow War: The CIA's Secret War in Laos (1995), p. 102 (Notes 2, 9).

References

• Albert Grandolini, Armor of the Vietnam War (2): Asian Forces, Concord Publications, Hong Kong 1998. ISBN 978-9623616225
• Bernard C. Nalty, Jacob Neufeld and George M. Watson, An Illustrated Guide to the Air War over Vietnam, Salamander Books Ltd, London 1982. ISBN 978-0668053464
• Bernie Fitzsimons, The Defenders: A Comprehensive Guide to Warplanes of the USA, Aerospace Publishing, London 1988. ISBN 0-8317-2181-2
• Bill Gunston, An Illustrated Guide to Military Helicopters, Salamander Books Ltd, London 1981. ISBN 978-0861011100
• Christopher F. Foss, Jane’s Tank & Combat Vehicle recognition guide, HarperCollins Publishers, London 2002. ISBN 0-00-712759-6
• Jan Churchill, Hit My Smoke: Forward Air Controllers in Southeast Asia, Sunflower University Press, Manhattan KS, 1997. ISBN 0-89745-215-1
• John Andrade, Militair 1982, Aviation Press Limited, London 1982. ISBN 0-907898-01-7
• John J.H. Taylor and Kenneth Munson, Jane's Pocket Book of Major Combat Aircraft, Collier Books, New York 1973. ISBN 0-7232-3697-6
• Kenneth Conboy and Simon McCouaig, The War in Laos 1960-75, men-at-arms series 217, Osprey Publishing Ltd, London 1989. ISBN 9780850459388
• Kenneth Conboy and Don Greer, War in Laos, 1954-1975, Carrolton, TX: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1994. ISBN 0897473159
• Kenneth Conboy, Kenneth Bowra, and Simon McCouaig, The NVA and Viet Cong, Elite 38 series, Osprey Publishing Ltd, Oxford 1992. ISBN 9781855321625
• Kenneth Conboy with James Morrison, Shadow War: The CIA's Secret War in Laos, Boulder CO: Paladin Press, 1995. ISBN 978-1-58160-535-8
• Nikolaus Krivinyi, World Military Aviation, Arco Publishing Company, New York 1977. ISBN 0-668-04348-2
• Larry Davis and Don Greer, Gunships, A Pictorial History of Spooky – Specials series (6032), Carrolton, TX: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1982. ISBN 0-89747-123-7
• Michael Green & Peter Sarson, Armor of the Vietnam War (1): Allied Forces, Concord Publications, Hong Kong 1996. ISBN 962-361-611-2